傳道書 8
1 誰如智慧人呢？ 誰知道事情的解釋呢？ 人的智慧使他的臉發光， 並使他臉上的暴氣改變。
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.
2 我勸你遵守王的命令；既指上帝起誓，理當如此。
I [counsel thee], Keep the king’s command, and that in regard of the oath of God.
3 不要急躁離開王的面前，不要固執行惡，因為他凡事都隨自己的心意而行。
Be not hasty to go out of his presence; persist not in an evil thing: for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.
4 王的話本有權力，誰敢問他說「你做甚麼」呢？
Because the king’s word [hath] power; and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
5 凡遵守命令的，必不經歷禍患；智慧人的心能辨明時候和定理。
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing; and a wise man’s heart discerneth time and judgment:
6 各樣事務成就都有時候和定理，因為人的苦難重壓在他身上。
for to every purpose there is a time and judgment; because the misery of man is great upon him:
7 他不知道將來的事，因為將來如何，誰能告訴他呢？
for he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?
8 無人有權力掌管生命，將生命留住；也無人有權力掌管死期；這場爭戰，無人能免；邪惡也不能救那好行邪惡的人。
There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in [that] war: neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it.
9 這一切我都見過，也專心查考日光之下所做的一切事。有時這人管轄那人，令人受害。
All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: [there is] a time wherein one man hath power over another to his hurt.
10 我見惡人埋葬，歸入墳墓；又見行正直事的離開聖地，在城中被人忘記。這也是虛空。
And withal I saw the wicked buried, and they came [to the grave]; and they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: this also is vanity.
11 因為斷定罪名不立刻施刑，所以世人滿心作惡。
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
12 罪人雖然作惡百次，倒享長久的年日；然而我準知道，敬畏上帝的，就是在他面前敬畏的人，終久必得福樂。
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and prolong his [days], yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
13 惡人卻不得福樂，也不得長久的年日；這年日好像影兒，因他不敬畏上帝。
but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, [which are] as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
14 世上有一件虛空的事，就是義人所遭遇的，反照惡人所行的；又有惡人所遭遇的，反照義人所行的。我說，這也是虛空。
There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be righteous men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.
15 我就稱讚快樂，原來人在日光之下，莫強如吃喝快樂；因為他在日光之下，上帝賜他一生的年日，要從勞碌中，時常享受所得的。
Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him in his labour [all] the days of his life which God hath given him under the sun.
16 我專心求智慧，要看世上所做的事。（有晝夜不睡覺不合眼的。）
When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes: )
17 我就看明上帝一切的作為，知道人查不出日光之下所做的事；任憑他費多少力尋查，都查不出來，就是智慧人雖想知道，也是查不出來。
then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
